Candle-burning crackdown

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The two municipal services departments will mobilise about 2,000 staff to enforce a ban on burning candles during the Mid-Autumn Festival this month.

The Urban Services Department (USD) will increase manpower from last year's 1,040 to 1,400 to patrol parks to stop people burning candles on September 24. The Regional Services Department plans to deploy at least 500 staff.

A working group was set up in May to decide how to stop candle burning, which is considered dangerous and messy.

The maximum penalty is a $2,000 fine and 14 days' imprisonment.

Twelve summonses were issued by the USD last year but only four people were charged. They were fined between $300 to $500.

Provisional Urban Council member Albert Lai Wing-lin said people burning candles should be prosecuted without warning.